Dawn came in cold, windy and overcast, but not raining, although it did sort of try. The dogs were reluctant to leave their cosy little pile of bodies but eventually the puppies were full on at play and they just didn’t stop.
And when they’d had enough of that it was a herd of zebra that were tormented.
Puzzles and dad led them away on the hunt but that didn’t go well as all the pups wanted to do was hassle a zebra stallion with a huge gash in his side, presumably from a lion attack.
But come 7h30 and all were tired resting up in the bush south of Khayeni.
I drove around all morning hoping for other action, but as usually happens in this overcast weather action just doesn’t pop out.
Back to the dogs in the afternoon and they were still all curled up together in a tight pile keeping warm. The wind was really chilly.
They were active much earlier today with the cold weather and Puzzles led the hunt chasing impala north of Khayeni but without success by the time darkness had fallen.
(Tonight’s edit bombed on me! I’m hoping to get it up in time now, as I only have a few hours each day. The edit was supposed to be wild dogs hassling the zebra but I had no time re-edit that, but the pups were at play as usual too.)
Hi Kim,
Do you know when the pups become mature for breeding? Will the young females leave the pack when in season or would they probably breed with their siblings? What about the alpha pair–Mom and Dad?
Just wondering how nature would keep them from inbreeding if no other dog packs were around.
Thanks,
Junebug
I was wondering the same thing, Junebug. I think the pups are about 5 months old now. Will the females be coming into heat in the next month or two? Will the parents drive off the males but permit the females to stay? Stay tuned….!
I’ll third this question. I know with domestic dogs, they can go into heat any time after 6 months of age. I hadn’t even wondered that about these pups, but now that you mention it…
the pups will stay with the pack and help raise future litters. only the alpha male and female breed. others not allowed to breed. only when one of them dies are they replaced. packs stay together until they get too large for their prey base. they may then split up and form another pack. but generally all stay in the pack, but there’s enough overlap of others coming in to prevent inbreeding.
somehow the other females are suppressed from coming into oestrus and only the alpha female does.